Jealousy Wars
by InconsciousSin
Summary: Korra wants Mako, Mako has Asami. Bolin wants Korra, but now so does Tahno. Korra agrees to a date with Tahno in the hopes of making Mako jealous. Will it work or will her plan backfire? Who will win? I haven't picked a pairing
1. Chapter 1: Still Smiling

**Author's Note**: This is just a fun story I thought of through a dream last night lol. So hopefully it turns out great! Please let me know if you enjoy it or not.

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Chapter 1:

_Still Smiling_

The loud, incessant white noise was growing annoying. Bolin was turning the knobs on the radio trying to find the right station. Unfortunately, all he was finding was static. I tried not to listen but after every spin of the knob Bolin would let out a, "Hm," as if the blur of sound was interesting and then my attention was drawn back to the buzzing static. We had just won our tournament against the Tigerdillos and were now relaxing in the break room. I was unwinding the wraps around my arms while Mako was stripping himself of his gear. I snuck a glance at him while he took off his white tank, revealing his cut abs. A blush crept across my cheeks. He threw the shirt in his duffle bag, grabbing a fresh, clean one from his locker.

I let my gaze wander to the open locker he was rummaging through in search of his scarf, remembering back to the moment I admitted my feelings for him only a week ago right in that very spot. _"I like you and I think we are meant to be together!" _It was impulsive, but true. I had shouted my confession which made me feel even more awkward but the worst part was that he just looked away. My gut tightened. Things have been strange between the two of us lately. At first, we weren't competing the same way we had been; our teamwork was suffering. So, one day, I pulled him aside and told him I was just stressed out and I didn't mean what I said. I told him I have a boyfriend but that didn't really work considering he laughed and asked for his name. That didn't go so well either because my spark of creativity came up short when I tried making up names for my 'boyfriend.' So instead, we just laughed together at the scenario and since then, we've been back on top in the arena. The downside is that we hardly speak or even look at each other _unless _we are in the arena.

There are no hard feelings at least on my end, but this is our only way to make an awkward situation dissolve without ruining our team. I'm sure we both knew I was lying about not wanting to be with him. Every time I saw him, my heart would do a somersault in my chest and my thoughts would turn into pieces of paper, jumbling together to form an outline of Mako and that famous smile. Except in my mind, the smile would be directed at me instead of his current girlfriend. The pieces of paper would rip and crinkle at the mere sound of her name: _Asami. _She was nice so it made me feel guilty but I did know him first! How was it fair for me to just set aside my feelings for some random girl he met by getting hit by her moped? A sigh left my lips. I shouldn't have let two little airbending children sway me into believing I had to confess my love. It was the timing; it had to be the timing. There were plenty of reasons for him to want to be with Asami, but there were plenty more for him to be with me, right?

I hadn't realized I was still staring at the fire bender until I heard, "Hey you," Her soft voice quickly pulled my attention back to my arm wraps. I realized I had been putting the wraps back on instead of taking them off while daydreaming. It was hard pretending I didn't care when she skipped through the doorway with her long legs and happy stride, Mako met her halfway and wrapped his loving arms around her. "Asami!" Their foreheads rested against each other and I noted the genuine smile touching both of their lips. I sneered, rolling my eyes.

Bolin must have given up on the radio because the static was now silence. He threw himself down on the bench beside me. "We totally wiped the arena with those Tigerdillos, huh? They were no match for my earth-rocks. They were especially no match for your crazy water moves." He was leaning back on one of his palms. He rubbed the fingertips of his free hand against his shirt, pulling them away with a cocky grin. I laughed, "Did you see how close it was at first? They had us all the way to the edge until you…." My sentence faltered as three over-confident pro-benders' laughs radiated from the doorway. The three men all wore matching pro bending attire and smug grins; these were the Wingbats. Their match was next and if they win, we have to face off at the championship match.

The one walking in the front of the other two had slick onyx hair fixed in a strange style. His eyes were slits like a snake and his nose was wrinkled up as if he smelled something rotten. His hand wafted in front of his face. "Do you smell something? Oh wait, I know what that smell is." I noticed Mako's arms wrap tighter around Asami's slender waist while they glared at the man in front of us. "It's the smell of losers." His voice was cool. He pointed a finger at Mako who gritted his teeth. I pointed my finger back at him. Something about Tahno made my skin crawl and his voice made my irritation almost uncontrollable. "I hope we see you in the finals. Then we'll know who the losers really are." _Great comeback, _I thought to myself. I was as witty as Pabu. The ferret was in the far corner of the room, chewing on the leg of a wooden chair.

I didn't notice Tahno approaching until he slid himself on the bench beside me. His arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling my ear to his lips. "You know, _Oh-vatar, _if you want to see how a real bender bends, I could give you some… private lessons." He flashed me a cocky smirk. I stared at him, resisting the urge to slap him across his smug face. I grabbed his hand and carefully removed his arm from draping across my shoulders without a word. He chuckled, back on his feet with one fluid motion. I knew if I said anything, I wouldn't be able to control what I did next. He slid the backside of his palm across his pointed bangs before sauntering to his teammates. A lazy hand lifted to wave as they stepped out for their match. "Watch and learn." He muttered.

I let out a loud growl. He was so cocky and if it weren't for the punishment of getting eliminated from the tournament, I would have wiped that grin off his face days ago. Bolin was saying something excitedly to me but my concentration was lost. I caught myself staring as Asami and Mako whispered quietly to each other, giggling like school girls before she kissed him. He kissed her back; that was the worst part. The kiss lasted longer than it needed to. Jealousy pelted the inside of my stomach. I broke my stare, now watching Pabu sprint across the room up Bolin's pant leg and into his lap. He spun around in circles a few times before settling himself for a nap. Bolin scratched the back of the ferret's ear, still speaking to me. My eyes met his with a weak smile. I nodded, agreeing with whatever it was Bolin was yammering on about.

Only a few minutes after we heard the overly enthusiastic announcer begin the match, it was over. The Wingbats were walking back through the room at their leisurely pace. They hadn't even broken a sweat. Those smug grins were still stretched across their lips. Tahno took off his helmet and ran his fingers through his hair only for it to bounce back into place. His steel eyes glanced around the room at the shocked faces before landing his gaze on me. "Impressed _Oh-_vatar?" I hadn't realized my jaw was agape until now. I quickly snapped my mouth closed. My arms crossed across my chest. "There's no way the match is over already." A light chuckle let his lips. "You obviously don't know who I am." He had a monotonous tune to his voice. "I told you I was good." He sauntered over to me.

Tahno's foot rested beside me on the bench, leaning his weight on his knee. "So listen, we're going out for a victory drink. Would you care to join us?" I stared at him in awe. This had to be a trick. We were both going to the championship tournament meaning he could easily drug me or lock me in a closet somewhere so that the fire ferrets are forced to forfeit. My eyes narrowed. "No." He lowered his face closer to mine. "You know, I don't ask just anyone to sit at my table. You should feel honored." The corners of his lips turned upward. I shuttered at the thought of being seen in public with such a creep. "It's not happening." He ran his index finger along the side of my cheek before I slapped it away.

"Stop resisting. We both know you want to. Unlike your friends I don't kiss and tell." A hint of humor danced in his eyes that sent a chill down my spine. He stole a glance at the happy couple standing only a few feet away before turning back to me, waiting for a reaction. The blush emitting heat from my cheeks had to be noticeable. _'Kiss and _tell', how did he know? Did Asami know? I remembered back to the impulsive kiss between Mako and me. It was a mistake and I didn't think anyone other than us and a heartbroken Bolin knew about it; now I know I'm wrong. I couldn't break his gaze for fear of accidentally making eye contact with Mako. He let out a controlled chuckle realizing he had got to me. "I-um…" What was I supposed to say to that? Even Bolin was silent. "Nothing to say? So, is that a yes, sweetheart?" He broke the awkward barrier that had barred me from responding by adding a little pet name to his question. I couldn't deal with this anymore. What if he says something more revealing? I stood up towering over the over confident Wingbat. "Is that what you think, pretty boy?" My hands balled into fists.

He was still smiling; why was he always smiling? I pulled back my fist but luckily Bolin stepped between us, gently pushing me behind him. "Whoa, whoa! Let me handle this." Bolin winked at me before turning back to Tahno, "Look, bro. You're the enemy. She doesn't want to hang out with you!" He seemed angry. I lowered my fist and gave Tahno a single nod in agreement with Bolin. Tahno glared at my friend, causing him to shrink into himself. "What was that?" Tahno's voice was still low and monotonous, but it now sounded harsh. Bolin rubbed the back of his head nervously. There was obvious tension I'm assuming because of past pro-bending matches between the two teams in which the wingbats dominated the fire ferrets. "I was just… saying, um… you know, she's… busy."

Tahno raised an eyebrow. "Busy?" He turned his gaze back on me who was equally as puzzled. "Doing what?" Bolin shrugged as if the question were directed at him, "You know... She's going to have a victory _feast _with her team and Asami." He leaned back on his heels, "Right, Korra?" _That sounds like a blast, _I thought sarcastically. I glanced over at Mako and Asami who seemed to be in their own little world a million miles away. Asami giggled as Mako whispered something in her ear. They were still holding each other. I hated this. She shouldn't be allowed in here; this was supposed to be a room for benders not benders plus one. Mako had admitted to having _some _kind of feelings for me, so how could he just stand there like that, all over some girl, right in front of me? Did I really want to sit around watching this all night? Not. At. All.

Blink! A light bulb turned on and I couldn't help but smile at this new idea. I now know what has been handed to me; an opportunity to make this obnoxious meeting into something better. I turned my attention back to Tahno, flashing him a bright smile: he had given me an out. "Actually, I would love to join you for a drink." I didn't break our gaze, but the giggling in the corner ceased and I could see Bolin staring at me with sad, orphan eyes out of the corner of my eye. Tahno's wide smirk returned. "That's what I thought. Well then," His foot fell back to the floor before he took a few steps backwards towards his teammates. "I'll see you tonight, _Oh_-vatar." He gave me a two finger salute as the wingbats left. I turned to face the room and saw Bolin's jaw had dropped, Asami was eyeing me curiously obviously wondering why I had just accepted an invitation from our championship opponent, and Mako was glaring; I also noted his arm was no longer around Asami's waist. As for me, I can't explain it, but I was still smiling.

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**Author's Note**: Yes, random story... I actually had a dream about this last night so maybe it'll turn out like "Twilight" and become something awesome. ;P We shall see.

Let me know if you like it so far. As for the couple pairings... Well, haven't decided yet. It could be anything. I kind of just let the story evolve as I go. (I have a basic idea for my stories and how they will go, but most of it just comes to me as I go so that it is more along the lines of what I think the character in the story would do instead of what the writer told her/him to do...)

Anyway, please review.(:

-InconsciousSin.


	2. Chapter 2: Victory Drinks

**Author's Note**: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! They make me eager to write so keep them coming. (: Now, I'm worried this chapter might make some of you mad or at least a little agitated... But I do plan on writing chapter 3 this week, or at least within the next 4-5 days at the most... So, don't get too upset because the next chapter will have what you're probably expecting in this chapter. You'll understand... Anyway, leave your feedback and I'll post faster. (: It's one of those bullshit cause and effect things. aha Enjoy!

By the way, its almost one where I'm at... So, if anything sounds off, it probably is. I'm tired. Deal with it for now and I'll fix it later. lol

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend Of Korra or its characters.

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Chapter 2:

_Victory Drinks_

Korra's POV:

"What? Seriously, Korra? Why would you wanna go out _alone _with that creep?" Tahno had just left the room and this was already starting: _perfect._ I couldn't stop grinning. No really, even if I wanted to I couldn't. I had to keep up this joyful exterior so Mako believed I was truly excited about this evening. I ruffled my hair with my hand, playfully winking at Bolin. I made sure Mako and the unwanted fanclub, Asami, were watching me. "Oh, C'mon Bolin! He's really… um, cute? I think it'll be fun." I was always awkward when it came to acting but after I saw the look on Mako's face I figured my acting skill must not be as shabby as I thought. He held a look of pure jealousy, or at least that's what I think he was feeling. I don't know what _subtle '_jealousy' looks like exactly but if it involves narrowed eyes, releasing the waist of your precious girlfriend, and gritted teeth every time the name of 'the other guy' is mentioned, then yes. I'd say that's what was going on.

Bolin's shoulders slouched, "Cute?" I tried to ignore the pained look plaguing the sweet smile he typically held by sliding my snow boots onto my feet and eyeing Pabu while he danced around Bolin's nervous feet. He was pacing, he had been since Tahno and the Wingbats left. One hand was on his hip and the other was on his chin, stroking his invisible beard while his eyes surveyed the dancing ferret that was attempting to keep up with his quick steps. He looked completely compelled by a thought, lost from reality until his gaze met mine once more. "Korra, he is not cute. Pabu is cute. He's got to be plotting something! The championship is tomorrow and…" He glanced around as if a conspirator was eavesdropping. "And why would he invite out his competitor? Korra, face it… Tahno. Is. Evil." His words were enunciated. Bolin's arms flew out at his sides, waving around wildly in the air. I was just staring at the boy in disbelief. He was always so overdramatic. Realizing he was now just staring back at me, I let out an uncomfortable giggle.

Mako hadn't said anything yet which made things worse. I felt somewhat guilty; I wasn't doing this to upset my innocent friend Bolin. I was only trying to make mean ole Mako jealous. Unfortunately, Bolin seemed to be more upset than my initial target. A soft sigh escaped my lips.

"What are you going to wear?" I cringed at the sound of her perfect octave of a voice. I pretended to be having trouble slipping my second foot into the boot to avoid meeting her stare. The smile was evident in her voice and I couldn't help but match that smile at the sound of Mako's scoff when he heard her question. "I don't know yet. Probably this?" I stood up with a shrug. Asami rolled her eyes. "No. You're going out for _drinks _with a man not going sledding." I knew she was only trying to help but her words made my eyebrows sag angrily. I snapped my jaw shut before I could bark anything back. She eyed me curiously then snapped her fingers. "You need to wear something sexy! Like a short, red dress and some heels. Red would look really good with your tan skin and dark hair." She flashed me a confident smile. I almost wanted to laugh. Mako's girlfriend was helping me look 'sexy' for the date I only planned to make Mako jealous. This was perfect.

I stole a glance at Mako, whose arms were crossed and his gaze was on the lockers. I don't know if he was just avoiding looking at any of us, or if he was having the same flashback I was experiencing only minutes ago. I blushed. "Stop helping her! Asami? What the heck! Hello? He's the enemy! We're suppose to be talking her _out _of this stupid date…" Bolin was pouting. I was half-tempted to tell him what this date was really about but I knew that would just make him equally as upset as he already is, if not more so. He witnessed the kiss between his big brother and his crush, me, and I could tell how it tore him up. I didn't mean to hurt him, he's sweet and funny and perfect… for someone else. I rubbed the back of my head and laughed, "Y-yeah. Thanks Asami. That sounds great. So where are you guys going tonight?" Asami and Mako finally looked at each other again, "Probably back to my place for some late night swimming and a homemade dinner." Asami was the one to answer my question. My heart was bleeding from the fire rupturing inside of me.

I hid it with a smile, "Fun stuff…. Well…" It grew silent since Bolin had finally given up, sitting in the fetal position on the far edge of the bench petting Pabu's head and Mako was always too cool to speak when it wasn't necessary. My body rocked back and forth from my toes to my heels in obvious discomfort. I took a few steps backwards towards the open doorway. My thumb jabbed towards my only exit when I noticed that Mako was grinning once again, his eyes only focused on the girl that was back in his arms. I flashed the room a final nervous grin before rushing out. I waved back to them over my shoulder, "Later." I knew they didn't hear me, but I realized I have nothing like the attire Asami had described. I had to find something before tonight.

I have never been so nervous in my life. What if this was a joke? What if there was no date, he only invited me to see if I'd actually show up then once I did, him and his friends all laugh and say something rude about how I honestly thought they would invite the _'Oh-_vatar' to anything? A low growl rumbled from my throat. I had gone through the entire closet and found nothing like what Asami had described. What if this was a trap? I am the Avatar; they could easily get me drunk and kill me or take me to Amon or, well anything! They could drug my drink and then… my cheeks were burning. I couldn't stop this constant blush that refused to vanish for more than five minutes.

I decided there was nothing worthy of my one night out in the closet, or now draping over a chair, or thrown lazily on my floor, so I had to find something in the city. What if this doesn't work? What if Mako really isn't jealous and he really does like Asami more than me? I ignored the idea and decided to just stop thinking all together. It took three stores before I found a dress but it was way too expensive. I left the store empty handed and decided to try finding something back in my room again. My feet were flying beneath me until I heard a familiar, "Hey," from behind me. I turned around to see Mako and surprise, surprise, no Asami. He was holding a fat bag in one hand. I smiled, "Hey there." He held up the free hand in an open palm as an awkward greeting. His gaze was soft but he was acting kind of weird. "So, you're going out with Tahno, huh?" He chuckled. Something about the humor in his tone made my anger peak, "Yeah? What about it?" Mako shook his head. He shoved his hands in his pocket while grinning at me; that humor still evident in his eyes. "Why?"

Why? Maybe this was working after all. However, judging by that dancing gleam in his topaz pools, it appeared that my plan was far from working. My teeth nibbled away at my lower lip while I glanced around, attempting to draw some form of a lie about this date. "I, um, I like him. And I love... drinks?" That was a lie. I had never drank anything stronger than ocean water in my entire life. I could probably take one sip of sake and pass out from it. This lie was probably transparent but Mako didn't show it. His facial expression didn't falter or change. He just kept staring at me. "So you like him, huh? I don't see how you can like a guy like that..." He was frowning, staring off as if lost in thought. I didn't know how to reply so I just watched him before he turned his gaze back on me, "Well, I guess good luck." My heart was fluttering now. The tone in his voice sounded foreign. He stared for an unusually long time before fumbling with the brown sack he was holding. "Asami was out of some ingredients for this recipe she wants me to try, so she asked me to come pick them up." Great, she cooks too. "Wow, she's just a superwoman." I didn't know the sarcastic words were actually spoken a loud until Mako chuckled, "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

We stared off in opposing directions as the uncomfortable silence took hold. He rubbed the back of his head, forcing that friendly smile once more, "Well, listen. You're still welcome to come to Asami's tonight if you want. I picked up enough food to feed four, so..." He let his voice trail off. The smile stretching across my cheeks was genuine this time: he wanted me to be there, right? That's what this invitation meant? My inner-Korra was squealing with excitement. "No, it's fine. Tahno is picking me up later. He said we were going to eat before our victory toast with his friends." Boom! Go Korra. I spoke flawlessly. My lying was getting a lot better. I didn't know if I should feel guilty or proud. Either way, Mako's smile fell. "Let's hope our _competition _doesn't get his _opponent _too wasted before the championship." I could almost feel the venom from his words pulsing through me. A spark ignited, and the dynamite was set for detonation. "Sounds like someone's a little jealous, hm?" He rolled his eyes, "Korra, please, we've talked about this before. I have a girlfriend."

"Then back off. What I do with my life doesn't concern you." He narrowed his eyes, "It concerns the team, which concerns me." I took a step closer to him while the wick began sizzling away faster. "I think I know how to control myself unlike you and miss locklips." He raised an eyebrow at me, "'Miss locklips?' That's the best you've got?" He was laughing now. I crossed my arms across my chest with a huff. The wick was almost all ashes, "Besides, you shouldn't be so worried. You've lost to the wingbats before, numerous times from what I've been told, isn't that right? I doubt whether I'm hungover or not will really change that losing streak of yours." Dynamite detonates right on cue. Mako glared at me for a long moment before turning away. "Have a good night, Avatar." I waved to his back before continuing my scavenger hunt. My gut hurt. I knew what I said hurt his feelings, and would probably come back to bite me tomorrow during the match, but Mako makes me so crazy I can't even think. A string of slurs echoed from my lips to my ears as I made my way back to my room. Now we had to win or my words would have an even worse affect on the poor fire ferret.

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Asami's suggestion was a no-go, but there had to be something that was at least a little… _sexy. _Even thinking the word to myself made me feel strange; I wasn't use to being the girl that tried to look good or impress someone. I usually just went with the flow. I was about to settle on a blue dress that Tenzin had bought for me for any formal parties I would be forced to attend while here in Republic City, when I realized what I was doing. This was ridiculous. If it was a prank, being dressed up like a doll would just solidify it. I threw the dress onto the bed and settled on a crimson shirt I found shoved in the far corner of the closet behind one of the piles I had just created, and some black pants. They weren't tight; in fact, they were as loose as my usual pants' choice. I also realized I had no other shoes besides my boots, so that was that.

It wasn't like I would end up seeing the brothers or Asami tonight. They were going to the Sato mansion to swim and eat and have their little "victory slumber party." I rolled my eyes. I hated the idea of Asami and Mako in the same bed, all night long, while a snoring, heavy sleeping Bolin is off in a completely different wing of the house. My head shook wildly in an attempt to shake away the couples incessant laughter before deciding it was time to leave. "Even if it's a joke, then you have an excuse to finally knock that smirk off his face. It's okay! This isn't even a real date, Korra. It's just to make Mako mad. That's all." I frowned. After saying it out loud it just sounded stupid and cruel. This plan was hurting Bolin, and wasting mine and Tahno's time. After all, Tahno doesn't even like me. He probably only invited me, if not for a prank or to kill me, then just to 'do stuff' with me. I shuddered. "Not happening. You'll only have one drink, if that, and then call it a night. You have a big day tomorrow." I couldn't help but talk to myself out loud when I was nervous. Why was I nervous? Eh, I don't know exactly, but I couldn't knock the feeling away.

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Naga gave me a lift into town where we strode through the streets. It hadn't really hit me until now that I was searching for the location, that I had no idea where it was. Nervous fingers scratched at the back of my head; this date was turning out to be too much trouble. Thank the Spirits Tahno had a recognizable voice because I overheard his, along with a large group of simultaneous laughter while passing by some fancy bar. "I think we found it, Naga!" I hopped off Naga, staring through the window. My heart was going nuts, ramming against every surrounding organ in my upperbody with excitement. I was still deciding whether or not I should go in. The glasses looked more expensive than my entire outfit put together and everyone was dressed up in high class gowns or suits. "This is a bad idea, Naga." I stated, not tearing my eyes from the group in the far right corner where Tahno sat. His confidence seemed to have manifested into an aura around the entire table. There were about five people aside from Tahno, all leaning back in their chairs with their arms lazily slung over the side or across their laps. I heard their buoyant laughter as the man to Tahno's right made a muffled comment.

My hand stroked the giant polar bear dog's nose while my eyes finally wandered to the man that so kindly invited me out tonight, and the beautiful woman sitting beside him. There was no room between them. His arm draped her shoulders; his other hand was loosely wrapped around the tall glass in front of him full of an unknown elixir. My fluttering heart was shot down like a bird in midflight. I could feel the pain as it fell to my toes; this was a joke. I thought I had prepared myself for such rejection but clearly thinking about such a thing happening was nothing compared to actually witnessing it. My face felt hot as embarrassment and anger corrupted my cheeks, burning them with a deep crimson. Angry tears fought their way to the surface but I refused to show such a weakness over someone that wasn't even a real date. At least they hadn't seen me yet. Naga nudged my shoulder before rubbing her nose against my back to soothe me. I smiled at her, "Thanks, girl, but I'm okay. I don't have any money anyway... I probably would've just sat there like a loser." Her round, loving pupils glistened with sympathy.

I took a few steps in a circle, eyeing the few buildings surrounding us. Now what? I should've taken Mako's offer earlier. I had no plans for tonight while everyone else was out celebrating their win and relaxing before tomorrow. A soft sigh escaped my parted lips. _Tomorrow. _I opened my palm, punching it with the opposing hand. "He picked the wrong bender to mess with. I'll get my revenge tomorrow at the match." Images of what I could do to Tahno _legally _in the bending arena made a devious smirk trace my lips. "C'mon girl. Let's go home." I patted her neck and then jumped up on her back.

The smirk vanished almost as quickly as it appeared now that worried eyes, Naga, were no longer able to stare at me. This wasn't how I imagined this night going but at least I'll have my chance tomorrow to make up for it. "Tahno, you're going down." I could say the words all I wanted to, I could let the anger control me, but to my misfortune, this nagging ache refused to release my heart. It was the same feeling that overwhelmed me when seeing Asami with Mako. I couldn't honestly be jealous. I scoffed, "Ridiculous!" Naga glanced back at me before turning back to the street as she walked. "I can't be!" I was laughing now. The image of Tahno's arm tightening around the girl's shoulders, pulling her closer to him where all I could see. Why was I never first? I gasped. The laughter ended abruptly; it hadn't lasted very long. It finally hit me: the truth. "No way." I was still speaking to the gentle air, considering Naga wasn't a mind reader and knew nothing about what my comments were referring to. My eyes were wide but saw nothing. I could barely even feel the heavy footsteps as Naga sauntered. A knot was forming in my dry throat but I swallowed it down as a sick, gurgling emotion flooded my stomach. There was no way, no way at all. I hated Tahno. He was a womanizing, cocky, ignorant creep with a stupid voice and even stupider hair! I couldn't even think of a real reason to hate him other than his smooth moves with women and that cocky attitude. "Oh no," Mako had both of those too. I was still in disbelief when the words left my lips like a question to be answered, "I'm jealous..?"

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**Author's Note**: I know, probably not what you were expecting but don't fret. The next chapter will have a lot to make up for this one. Let me know what you think and any couple ideas. (: I'll make my decision about pairings based off your reviews/requests. (as well as off which direction the story carries itself)

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it, even if it wasn't their date... yet... hahaha... I'm evil. ;)

-InconsciousSin.


	3. Chapter 3: Mixed Reviews

**Author's Note**: This chapter is mostly just Mako's view on the situation… then a little of Korra's view followed by Mako again… this chapter WAS supposed to be called "The Match" and that was going to be the main point of it, but it was getting really, really long so I broke it down and will post the next one within the next couple of days hopefully. (Depends what time I get off work) So sorry… this one is just more insight into what is going on in the minds of Mako and Korra. I would do Bolin, and I will add some Bolin POV if you guys request it. Just haven't had the time to be able to think from THREE different POVs. So, Bolin fans, forgive me. I'll add some more of him in if you guys request it. So sorry for the super late update and I'm sorry it's not the most exciting chapter or meaningful one considering nothing really happens… but here you go. I wanted to have Mako's view on the whole thing too so we know what he's thinking for once.

Thank you all so much for the reviews by the way.(: And i'm so sorry I took so long to update. I'll try to get back into my old groove, promise.

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Chapter Three:

_Mixed Reviews_

Mako's POV:

_I'm jealous? _I'm not jealous. _Why him? _Why not him? _That should be you._ No, that should definitely not be me, I have Asami. This internal battle had been going on for hours. I've paced this same line in the floor so many times; there was a black streak from the tread on my shoes. The event was replaying over and over in my mind…  
_"Stop resisting. We both know you want to. Unlike your friends I don't kiss and tell."_ My heart stopped. How on earth could this creep know about the kiss? The instant his gaze turned to me, I narrowed my eyes at him and snarled my lip. He didn't even recoil, his smirk merely widened before he turned his eyes back on the Avatar. I had to find out how he knew. For all I know he could try using that bit of information to blackmail me or he could just tell Asami without forewarning. I tried to ignore them, but then I heard his next sentence. What Tahno said was not too shocking; it was Korra's response that caught me off guard.

She's not serious, not even close. Korra can be pretty stupid sometimes but there is no way she's this idiotic. I could feel the spike in my heart rate at the mere sound of Tahno's sly voice. Why was he asking her this? No, why was she agreeing to a date with him? My teeth were now grinding against each other into uneven nubs. My fists were so tightly clenched they were shaking, I couldn't watch this anymore. My eyes began to survey the room uncomfortably, landing on the lockers behind Korra. The memory was forever burned into my unconscious. That pained expression etched into Korra's features when she confessed her love for me and I just turned her away. It wasn't like I wanted to; I just wasn't expecting her irrational declaration. Asami's sweet palm touched my cheek, "Honey, are you alright?" She noticed my sudden lack of interest in our conversation, hopefully she didn't know why. I turned my gaze back on her and smiled. She was so beautiful. I placed my palm over hers against my cheek, "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about tonight." She giggled before leaning up to place a soft kiss against my lips. "I am too." She began talking about dinner and ideas she had about what to cook. She settled on her initial choice, but unfortunately, I wasn't paying attention and I didn't hear what that choice was. I just smiled and told her whatever she wanted to make sounded perfect. I was still staring down at Asami, nodding when I felt necessary while trying to listen in on what was going on with Tahno and Korra.

My mind drifted back to the Avatar and that stupid locker. When Korra confessed her love to me, I didn't know what to say. My girlfriend is perfect, flawless even, but every time I imagine Korra with someone else, I question whether or not I _want _a perfect girlfriend. Korra was the complete opposite of Asami. She was imperfect, she had her flaws, but that's what makes her so different. Sure, a lot of the things she does I can read easily: when she's thinking, when she's lying, and every emotion she is feeling is reflected in her deep blue eyes and yet I can't seem to figure her out. Her motives are a mystery and the exact thoughts she is thinking about are something I'll never be lucky enough to experience. Yes, I care about her and I do like her, but I can't do that to my brother. I don't understand how she would be willing to do that to Bolin either. I felt guilty seeing his heartbroken face when Korra kissed me. I don't think I would have felt so guilty had I not enjoyed the kiss so much. It was like the elements resonated in our lips the moment they met. I shook my head, gripping my forehead to ward off these taboo thoughts. There were also many things she did that annoyed me. I have mixed feeling about the Avatar, and I believe that was one of the main reasons I turned her down. One minute she can be the most amazing bender I've ever seen, then a few minutes later, she'll be doing something irritating or we'll be arguing. Then again, I loved our arguments at least to a point. The fire in her eyes and the way I have such a vast effect on her... I rolled my eyes. Even the things that I hate about her turn out to be things I like.

No there had to be another reason I hated the idea of Korra with Tahno. He is a pig. He's disgusting, and womanizing, and he obviously just wants to find a weakness of the fire ferrets'. Yes, that has to be it. No matter how much I believed every one of these things to be true, I knew this was not even close to being the true reason of my hatred for the sinister figure. It was his cool tone. The way he called Korra "Avatar" in that stupid accent of his. The way he placed his confident hands all over her as if she were already his. I hadn't realized I was no longer touching Asami until I felt her fingers brush against mine in a desperate attempt to draw me back to our little world. My eyes must have hinted at something when I turned to her because she grimaced. Her mouth opened and closed a few times but instead of words she simply smiled and nuzzled her head into the nape of my neck. I placed a finger beneath her chin, tilting her gaze up to me. My lips touched hers and I felt that little flame set ablaze. I would never say it out loud, but the kiss with Korra had definitely tilted the scales between her and Asami. My lips haven't felt right since. Against Asami's they were almost numb. Sure, there was a beautiful minute spark that I felt when we kissed but it was nothing like Korra. Maybe it was just because Asami was so much more purposeful while the kiss with Korra had been spontaneous and unexpected. Once the shock factor evaporates, maybe things will return to normal and I forget about the kiss all together. Speaking of which, Asami still didn't know about it, and hopefully never would. I stole a glance at Korra, narrowing my eyes at the bright grin spread across her cheeks after she agreed to a date with the Wingbat.

I heard Bolin's hurt and over exaggerated tone as he questioned her motives. She ruffled her hair with her hand and I noticed her gaze turn to me before swiftly turning back to Bolin, "Oh, C'mon Bolin! He's really… um, cute? I think it'll be fun." She sounded unsure but the ache in my stomach screamed otherwise. Asami whispered something in my ear that I hadn't actually heard, but forced a laugh so Korra would think I wasn't paying attention to what she was saying. Asami's eyebrow rose. I'm guessing she didn't say something funny. My laughter stopped. She turned away from me, smiling now at Korra, "What are you going to wear?" I cringed. Why was my girlfriend helping the 'other girl' with an outfit for the jerk guy? Korra shrugged and after that I crossed my arms, allowing my gaze to journey back to those lockers. If only I had just confessed the truth, I wouldn't be standing here now as a battle amongst my intestines raged within me. I couldn't escape her voice as she shouted her hidden feelings at me. She was always so abrupt and she never really thinks things through. She just goes for her goals full force; this was something else I loved about her. I growled to myself. These thoughts were going to get me into trouble. I needed to stop and focus on my own girlfriend and not Korra. Besides, I'm probably only interested because another guy is… that has to be it. Yes. That is definitely it.

I was drawn back to the conversation when Korra directed her questioning to Asami and me. I looked at Asami just as her glowing eyes met mine. Every time I looked at her I couldn't stop, at least not right away. Her looks were astounding, but they also made me question my reasons for being with her. I cared about her a lot. She is smart, fun, gorgeous, kind, and loving, but the main thing that made my insides pulse when near her was her smile, her eyes, her looks. I never thought of myself as shallow or that big of a jerk, but now I'm second guessing it. I wrapped my arms around her slender waist, pulling her closer to me. I nuzzled my lips against her neck while she spoke to Korra, not bothering to listen, however, I did notice the pained look in Korra's eyes as she started her sprint from the room. I also felt a newfound emptiness at her absence. What is going on with me? I'm losing it. I pulled Asami closer in a desperate attempt to lock out any confusing or unnecessary feelings. She obliged, wrapped her arms around my neck and leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss me. This is it, I thought as a smile touched my lips. This is what I want.

* * *

I should have known not listening to Asami's ramblings about dinner would end up biting me in the ass. She asked me to go pick up some groceries for the homemade meal she was just dying to make for Bolin and me, but I had no idea what went in this mystery meal because my mind was nowhere to be found when this conversation was being had. I tried to work my way around this by asking what all went in her "delicious feast" but all she did was giggle and wave a hand at me, "Don't be silly," She stated, "If you're worried about money just take my wallet. It's in the purse on the couch." She was stirring something in a pot while she spoke. I glanced over her shoulder, hoping to find a list of ingredients along with the recipe but she shooed me back, "No peeking! Hurry and get those ingredients! I want this to be done before you're too tired to taste it!" Asami gave me a playful wink before I slinked out of the door, heels shuffling the pavement once I hit the street.

I had no idea what she was looking for, so I went up to every grocer and grabbed every vegetable I could afford, even a few different types of melons. I ended my search in the local convenience shop, grabbing up some noodles and beef. There had to be something in my many bags of goodies that she needed. I was wandering back down the street when I spotted a familiar hot-headed brunette passing by. She was almost sprinting down the sidewalk, not even noticing me. A crooked grin touched my lips at the determined look on her face. "Hey," The word left my lips without permission so now I felt like an awkward mess. She turned to me, raising an eyebrow as if expecting more of a greeting so I shifted the oversized bag in my hand, lifting the other up, palm out, as a lazy wave.

"Hey there." She stated back.

I felt uncomfortable, but I would probably not have another chance to get her alone again to get my answers. I shifted my weight back and forth, "So, you're going out with Tahno, huh?" I forced a light-hearted chuckle to ease the tension in my voice. I could blatantly see the shift of emotion in her eyes from confusion to anger. "Yeah? What about it?" I don't understand how my question upset her, but then again, a lot of things about girls were still a mystery to me. I shoved my free hand in my pocket, forcing a small grin. "Why?" It was hard pretending I didn't care; it was even harder pretending I found it funny or amusing. I know I'm good at hiding how I'm really feeling. I've been doing it our entire "_relationship."_ That still never makes it any easier internally. Her teeth were gnawing on her lower lip. Those revealing eyes were looking in every direction except mine.

"I, um, I like him. And I love... drinks?"

I almost wanted to laugh but I kept my face as solemn as I could. There's no way she 'love's drinks', she's probably never even drank before. "So you like him, huh? I don't see how you can like a guy like that..." I felt the frown now tugging at the edges of my lips. I couldn't help it. This pit in my stomach was growing deeper at the thought of Korra ending up with a guy like Tahno. My eyes would betray me; I looked at the ground, hoping she wouldn't notice my sudden sign of weakness. She was silent for a long moment so I took in a deep breath, looking back up at her, "Well, I guess good luck." The fluctuation in my tone sounded strange to me. It was dripping with disappointment. I was nervous she would notice, so I watched her eyes, gazing into them, expecting to see some kind of identical fluctuation there, but saw nothing. I finally broke our stare and was now looking down into the large brown sack in my hand full of random goodies Asami didn't even need. I pretended to be digging around for something special, "Asami was out of some ingredients for this recipe she wants me to try and so she asked me to come pick them up." My words were rushed and jumbled. I don't even know why I said that. Why did Korra need to know that? Clearly I had groceries and clearly she already knew Bolin and I were going to be at the Sato's mansion. My heartbeat was ringing in my ears.

"Wow, she's just a superwoman." I couldn't help but laugh. The Avatar, the master of all four elements, is calling my non-bending girlfriend a superhero. _If only you knew._ "Yeah, I guess you could say that." Or think that. It isn't even close to being real. Guilt pelted my stomach. She's my girlfriend, why am I thinking like this? We both dared not look at each other. I noticed her staring off at the building beside us while I was looking at something vastly interesting across the street. Silence consumed us. I rubbed the back of my head nervously. What to say? I didn't want to go back to Asami's for two reasons: one, I knew I didn't have any of the groceries she was probably expecting and two, because once I leave, that means Korra will be getting ready for her date. Then, she will be going on her date. I didn't like the idea of this at all. I force a smile, "Well, listen. You're still welcome to come to Asami's tonight if you want. I picked up enough food to feed four, so…" Or twenty. The bag was so heavy I thought my fingers would fall off from the lack of circulation. The smile that snuck across her lips made my heart pound. "No, it's fine. Tahno is picking me up later. He said we were going to eat before our victory toast with his friends." Damn. What did I expect? I could no longer force the fake smile. Anger and jealous was over flowing within me.

Usually when she was lying, her voice gave her away. This time, I sensed nothing. She spoke without hesitation leading my heart down a one way trip to my gut. I wanted to say something nice-no that's a lie, I wanted to say something mean or rude; something so that I could see that spark in her eyes. "Let's hope our _competition _doesn't get his _opponent _too wasted before the championship." My voice sounded dark even though my words didn't hold such a merit. Either way, it worked and that small spark was now lit in her bright, azure eyes.

"Sounds like someone's a little jealous, hm?" I tried not to hesitate long enough for her to see how right she was. I rolled my eyes with a scoff, "Korra, please, we've talked about this before. I have a girlfriend." So true, good job Mako. Her angry foot stomped towards me once. She leaned upward so her face was close to mine. "Then back off. What I do with my life doesn't concern you!" I narrowed my eyes. Did she honestly expect me to just forget about her well-being and happiness? We are friends. I may have turned her down, but that doesn't mean we aren't friends. "It concerns the team, which concerns me." It was like my mouth was some kind of mad genius. I wasn't even monitoring what left my lips but they seemed to be doing a fantastic job without releasing any revealing information. She took another purposeful step towards me. I could feel the ground between us shift as if her anger was unconsciously controlling the ground. "I think I know how to control myself unlike you and miss locklips."

I stifled a laugh, raising a curious eyebrow at her. Seems to me that someone is a bit bitter. "'Miss locklips?' Really? That's the best you've got?" I couldn't hold back the laugh as it bubbled from my throat. Korra was now glaring at me. I had clearly annoyed her to her breaking point. She crossed her arms, staring at me. "Besides, you shouldn't be so worried. You've lost to the Wingbats before, numerous times from what I've been told, isn't that right?" My laughter stopped. When it came to competition, I didn't believe in fun and games. When it came to the Fire Ferrets, especially, I was all business and don't take kindly to direct insults to the team. "I doubt whether I'm hung over or not will really change that losing streak of yours." Ouch! I had nothing to say. Unlike the flash of shock that washed over her when she let herself speak, I knew what not to do. I controlled myself. It seems Korra doesn't quite understand how to do that, because she looked genuinely shocked after she spoke. I gaged her reaction, considering a few hurtful comebacks, then reconsidered and recoiled. "Have a good night, Avatar." My feet spun beneath me and I began my stalk back to Asami's house without even looking back.

She could be so infuriating at times. Now that I was a safe distance away, the true pain and rage from her words had enveloped me. Who did she think she was? She's on this team now too! It doesn't only affect me if we lose the tournament. I ran my fingers through my hair with a groan. Asami would never say something like that. She's sweet and genuine and a lot more controlled than Korra. I smiled. Too bad I hadn't come to this realization sooner, I could have put Korra in her place by pointing out that I had made the right choice.

* * *

"Mako. Do you even know what I'm making?" I shrugged. "I'm not good at cooking so I just grabbed a bunch of stuff I figured you could try." She giggled, grabbing the luggage from my hand and dumping it gently onto the counter. My fingers itched the back of my head nervously. She touched each and every individual item before turning to smile at me, "I was going to just make homemade spaghetti but now I think I'll make something different. Since the only thing you didn't get was a tomato." I listened to her angelic laughter and then I flashed her an innocent grin. "I'm sorry. I was just… side tracked." My gaze lingered on the floor but luckily Asami didn't pry; she was good at that, understanding or at least, assuming she understood.

Bolin rushed in, throwing a soaking wet arm around my shoulders, "Come swimming! Let the lady cook. We go have fun!" He rubbed my head, dampening my hair with his wet hand. Sometimes, my brother behaved younger than he should, but I loved it at least some of the time. I shoved him away with a playful grin. Asami held up her oversized spoon to us, "I'll let you know when it's done." Bolin and I looked at each other. "She wants us to leave." He stated before tugging me down the hallway towards the pool.

Bolin splashed, he did too many dives and leaps into the pool that I can't even count them all, he threw Pabu in three times too many, so now the fire ferret was laying underneath the bench a few feet away in a desperate attempt to dry off. I was now floating on my back, lost in thought. "So, should we go check on this date?" My head snapped up. "What?"

Bolin's face was scrunched together. He was pounding his closed fist into his open palm. "Tahno's a creep. We both know that but Korra doesn't. Maybe we should teach him a lesson." As much as I wanted to see how the date was going firsthand, I knew it was wrong. How guilty would we feel tomorrow for eavesdropping on Korra's one night out on her own? A woman deserves her privacy. "Fighting won't solve anything." Ironic, considering tomorrow that's what we're in the championships for; a fight with Tahno and his little Wingbat buddies. Bolin made a strange, loud sound from his nose. "Oh c'mon, Mako! I don't trust this guy. What if he hurts her? Or worse… what if she has a good time?" The fire constantly ablaze within me seemed to be growing hotter, even in this cool water, at Bolin's truth. I waved a hand at the air. "Eh, I wouldn't worry too much. Even if it does go well, how will they relay that to the tournament tomorrow? They still have to fight. And knowing Korra, if he holds back, she'll think he doesn't believe she can 'handle herself' and get mad. Then, if he _does _attack full force, she'll think he's 'a jerk and only cares about winning.' Korra's contradicting." _You're contradicting. _I know. I sighed after my speech, waiting for a response from the little brother. He was staring at me with an unreadable expression that eventually spread into a wide set, tooth gleaming grin. "Yes! You're so right! Korra won't like him anyway. She already has a man." I was now staring at the ceiling again, floating on my back with my arms outstretched at my sides. "Not technically… I mean, everything's so confusing with Asami right now… I really like her a lot but sometimes I think she's _too _perfect and reconsider what was said at the lockers…" Bolin shoved on my stomach, forcing me under the water for a moment. Water filled my lungs. I broke the surface with a fit of coughs and astonishment. "What," cough, cough. "The hell, Bolin?"

"I was talking about me! I'm her man! You can't claim all of them!" I gasped. I hadn't realized the words were out loud. My gaze dropped to the rippling water; I felt so guilty. "Yeah, sorry bro. You're right." His eyes held a hint of mischief. "Wait.. what about the lockers?" _Oh no. _My heart began pounding wildly in my chest. "I, uh, what?" I shook my head once as if I hadn't heard him correctly. He swam closer, jabbing his index finger into my ribs. "What happened at the lockers, Mako?" Bolin gasped. His eyes were now full of an unjustified realization. "Oh no. You didn't... I mean, I saw you guys kissing! I figured that was the worst of it! No!" He was yelling now as he typically did. His voice sounded pained, but overdramatic. My hand quickly covered his mouth, my lips against his ears. "Sshh! Bolin! Asami doesn't know about the..." My eyes did a quick look around, "kiss." Bolin gasped. He gently pulled my hand away from his mouth, whispering back in an aggravated tone. "You haven't told her? She has the right to know!"

I shook my head. He wasn't serious. There was no way he thought that would end well. "No, Bolin. Korra is a teammate. How will my girlfriend feel about us all being a team when one of the teammates has kissed her boyfriend?" He rested his fingers against his chin. He was clearly lost in deep thought. "Yeah... but if you really think you can keep something like that a secret for long, you're wrong. Korra's an honest person. And if for some reason Asami brings up something like that to her, Korra will spill. Big time. What does she have to lose?" Me. She could lose me and my trust. I couldn't listen to this anymore. I was hoping after the kiss, that would be the end of it. No one would discuss it further. At least Bolin had dropped the discussion about the lockers... for now. I still hadn't told him that Korra told me she liked me and wanted to be with me before going on a date with him. I let out a sigh. "Time to swim some laps." I stated before gliding over to one end of the pool. My movements were slow and painful due to the growing tumor of guilt, shame, and jealousy taking a continuous form on my heart.

* * *

_Midnight. _Korra, you better be home. I couldn't help but imagine her drunk, uncoordinated, and loopy. A laugh left my lips. Then, there's Tahno who is drunk, horny, and uncaring. The laughter stopped. Would she be safe? I rolled over on my side to face the wall, pulling my blankets up over my head. I had to get some sleep. The tournament was tomorrow and me laying here worrying won't bring Korra home, or make her safe. I was tempted to go searching for her, but decided against it. She can handle herself. I took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I repeated this exercise a few times to calm down before finally forcing myself to sleep.

* * *

Korra's POV:

Why did I think he wouldn't show up to the tournament? That was a silly thought. At least there's no way that smug grin of his is going to direct itself at me when in only minutes we will be competing for the number one slot. He isn't even going to attempt to talk to me. As far as he knew, I blew _him_ off. The echo of his heels against the floor resonated with me; I could feel him growing closer. An intake of air flooded my lungs while I prepared for his passing. "Hey there, sweetheart, I didn't see that pretty face last night." Okay, so I was wrong, I'm typically wrong about my assumptions. Of course his smug grin is going to turn to me and of course he's going to say some stupid comment about our '_date'_ in front of the entire room. A growl left my lips. I can't believe he has the nerve to speak to me after blowing me off. Then, he decides to bring up his _joke date _in front of Bolin and Mako. I didn't reply to his statement, nor would I even look at him. I tightened the wraps around my wrist, slowly working it around in layers until I reached the end, tucking it away at the top towards my elbow. I tried to pretend this task required my exclusive attention to avoid meeting his face with a fist. It was bound to happen if I had to look at him and that guiltless grin.

"I was really looking forward to it, you know. You ruined my entire evening." His voice had a hint of humor to it while he faked a sorrowful tone. He leaned in close to me and in almost a whisper stated. "You know that means now you have to make it up to me." I scoffed, "Go away." I stood up stretching the freshly wrapped arm away from me, twisting and turning it to make sure the wrap wasn't too tight. He chuckled, taking a step behind me. His lips were against my ear. "Oh stop. You chose not to join us for drinks. The least you could do is apologize for your absence. I promised the crowd the _Oh-_vatar and she never showed, how do you think that makes me look?" His voice was smooth and monotonous.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not a circus show so I doubt _anyone _was too disappointed. Now, either you take a step back, or we can fight it out after the match." Tahno shrugged, that crooked grin still evident in his voice, "Those are my options? Well, I wouldn't mind seeing you after the match but fighting is the last thing on my mind." I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention as a chill ran down my spine. My heart was pounding against my chest. The last piece of the wrap was tucked away before I clenched my hand into a fist; this was it. Screw the tournament, this guy was getting what he's been begging for. I stretched my fingers individually, feeling his lips broadening behind me before tightening it into a confident fist. Just as I was about to spin around Bolin rushed over, tackling me from the side. He threw his arms around me, "Korra! No. The match is in like five minutes. Just wait until we're in the arena then you can do everything you want to this jerk and the other Wingbats!" I was about to reply before I turned around and saw that grin on Tahno's face.

He was staring right at me. Amusement was dancing in his eyes. "Not _everything."_ He muttered. My cheeks grew hot under the blush that I knew he noticed. I knew what he was referring to and I know Bolin did too. His body tensed against me and I was worried he would recoil his objection, leading both of us into a frenzy and ultimately, disqualification to the match. "You're a pervert! You can't take a _lady _like Korra out then expect… _the nasty _the very next day!" His voice was loud. I had to take a step away in fear that my eardrum would bust. "You're… um, yelling that… Bolin, stop it." I whispered with my hand cupped beside my cheek. Embarrassment ensued. I could feel the blush running across the bridge of my nose. Tahno looked confused and for a second, I was afraid he would point out the fact that he never actually ended up 'taking me out' anywhere, but luckily, the confusion lifted. He saw the worried look on my face and let out a comforting chuckle in that cool, soft tone of his before turning away from us. "Whatever you say, ferret." He stopped midstride to meet my careful gaze, "Good luck." I could tell Tahno's statement was not directed to the team as a whole but to me alone. I couldn't help but smile back and state, "Yeah, you too." Damn! Curse my kind, polite heart. I just had to be nice after all of that? He seemed to enjoy it, turning to wink at me but I pretended not to see it. It felt like an eternity before Tahno finally sauntered out of the room to meet up with his teammates. He thought he was so cool and that he could get any girl. Yeah right, not me. I'm not interested at all. The only reason I would ever agree to a date with the creep would be for the exact reason I had last night; revenge against Mako for not-so-purposely showing off his pretty girlfriend and their perfect little relationship every second of every practice and every day we had a match. A pang hit my chest like a bullet. The pain lifted as I heard a chuckle across the room. I turned to face the culprit.

Mako was now laughing in the far corner of the room where he sat on the bench. His laugh was light and oddly I could sense the genuine humor in each chuckle. Something about this sudden outburst irritated me. My eyes narrowed at him. He was sliding on his shoes; the laughter lasted much longer than necessary as if he were trying to get someone to ask what he was laughing about. My hand fell to my hip, "What's so funny?" I snarled. I couldn't imagine why he was only just now laughing after the ridiculous arguments that he just witnessed. He shook his head without a word, the chuckles still consuming him. I watched his lips curl up at the corner into a crooked grin while he was wiping away a fake tear from one eye before finally asking, "How was your date last night?" I completely forgot that I told the boys I went. My body went numb with a strange terror. They asked when I first got here this morning for our quick pre-match warm-up and I had forced a smile, claiming it went great and that Tahno was actually a really sweet guy and that we had a lot of fun together. I even threw out the idea that we may be going out again soon, yeah that's right, my acting has been perfected overnight. I didn't even stutter through it. Mako wouldn't meet my gaze after I told them about my night and Bolin just kept muttering something angrily under his breath to himself, shuffling his toes at the unsettled ground. Now, well now they probably figured out the truth; or at least assumed the date wasn't all I chalked it up to be.

I tried to think of a witty comeback but was unfortunately blessed with nothing. My fingers scraped the back of my head as if itching for an idea to fall out, but of course, nothing happened. My eyes refused Mako's burning stare. I could sense Bolin was waiting for a response to this question as well because he just stood there behind me and I could feel his eyes on my nervous fingers fidgeting with my hair. The air held an uncomfortable silence but I refused to be the one to fill it. Thank the Spirits the announcer's booming voice beckoned from the arena speakers for both teams to ready themselves in the hexagon. A rush of air leapt from my lips, "Finally! Alright, let's do this!" I clapped my hands together before clenching my hand in a fist in front of my eager smile. Bolin's worries seemed to fade away instantly at the sound of the cheering crowd on the other side of the wall; fore he did the same thing, thrusting a fist towards the ceiling with an excited leap. "Let's knock these wing-rats back to the sewers!" I couldn't help but giggle at his joke but the giggling came to a stop when I noticed Mako's thoughtful eyes staring off at the floor. Instead of hearing the announcer calling to begin the match, it looked like Mako heard the announcer claim that we already lost. With hesitance, my feet carried me a few steps towards him. My smile settled into a frown, "Mako? You okay?" He didn't seem to hear me at first, his gaze unfaltering. After a few awkward seconds though, Mako shrugged, slowly standing up. "Yeah. I'm ready." He turned his gaze from his brother to me while he strode towards us; that familiar determined set of topaz eyes were back and my smile quickly returned.

* * *

Mako's POV:

Her acting was terrible, just terrible. It was hilarious watching her pretend like her rendezvous with that womanizing chump was the most amazing night of her life. I went along with it of course. Why embarrass her? She had walked into the workout room just as I was setting down one of the weights. Bolin was punching at the air, playing some match over in his head while pretending to shoot those golden circles of earth at his invisible rivals. Korra stepped into the room with a yawn and a stretch. Bolin wiped away a bead of sweat from his forehead, smiling at the always late last member of our team. "Hey there, Korra! You look tired." She shrugged, muttering something in a sleep deprived murmur.

I watched her sloppy, tired movements as she stalked over to the bench, dropping herself against it with a groan. Her forearm rubbed against her eyes. I couldn't stop my mind from running through every possible reason for her being so exhausted but I couldn't shake the possibility of her date being the cause. The thought of her spending the whole night with Tahno made me cringe. I gulped down the growing lump in my throat, "So," I tried to sound as bored and uninterested as possible, "How was your date?" She looked nervous at first until that all too familiar, and fake, smile touched her lips. "Oh it was great! We had a blast."

The lump dissolved, the growing carbonated bubbles gurgling away in my stomach settled. That was the moment I knew the truth: she hated him. My lips curved, "Good, I'm glad you had a good time." She nodded, rubbing her upper arm with vigor. "Yup, it wasn't what I was expecting, that's for sure." The way she spoke sounded odd, as if there were some hidden meaning in her words. My lips curved more, that must mean she had a terrible time. I stole a glance at my brother. He had shoved his hands in his pockets, kicking at the floor. His shoulders were slouched and his eyebrows were tugged together. Was he sulking? He was actually buying this. I wanted to roll my eyes but instead I turned my attention back to the girl. "So, what'd you two do?" A flash of shock flickered against her cerulean eyes. "What did we do?" She repeated back to me. I gave her a single, slow nod. Korra rolled her eyes with a snort. The question wasn't really that ridiculous and it certainly shouldn't have been surprising to be asked such a thing. I watched her patiently. I could always tell by the blank look on her face that she was deep in thought. It didn't take as long as I was counting on for her to come up with something _magical _to replace the evening she really had with our rival. "We had drinks." I could only imagine this emotional girl after a few sips: unbearable.

I nodded to show that I was waiting for more details, she hesitated. "Then, we had some dinner… alone, and watched the stars, went for a walk, and did some other stuff. You don't need to know everything, nosy." Her words were rushed but she flashed me a mischievous grin that would have made my mind immediately wander back to thoughts of Tahno's filthy hands touching Korra in some perverted manor had I not already figured out that somewhere between the first drink and the 'other stuff' something bad must have happened, otherwise she wouldn't seem so fidgety. I flashed Korra my most genuine smile.

She ruffled her hair, "He's actually really sweet. I wouldn't have guessed it from the way he flaunts himself around his opponents but I think that's just an act. In fact, we had such a good time that I agreed to a second date." There was that familiar glint in her eyes. At the mere sight of it I heard a snap as my heart ripped free from its captivity, thrusting itself down into my lower abdomen. She was telling the truth? I broke our stare immediately, taking in repetitive deep breaths to calm myself. Now her '_other stuff' _seemed to worry me, and a second date? Why would she want a second date? Better question: why did she agree to the first? If the reason for my sudden rage wasn't only feet away, I would be shooting flames at every possible target to quell my frustration. My index finger and thumb pinched the bridge of my nose. I could now hear Bolin's shuffling toes rubbing harder against the floor, his muttering was now an incoherent rambling. Korra was silent, but I heard her stand up, moan with another stretch before sauntering out claiming that she wanted to get some more sleep before the tournament.

Was it true? Was it a lie? She had sent so many mixed signals that I couldn't tell. Once I knew she was gone I stood up with a loud growl thrusting a fist forward at the open room and allowing a large burst of fire to fill the space. Bolin was on the other side, still sulking. I continued doing this, shooting out one fist after the other with a loud yell to relieve some tension. If Bolin were to say anything about my sudden behavior, I could easily say I'm getting myself pumped up for the match. He didn't question me so I remained silent, lost in my own head, while trying to pry into hers. What was she thinking?

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**Author's Note**: I hope you enjoyed reading. The Match will be the next chapter and the aftermath of it.. Then, we'll have more of Tahno being Tahno and his second date with Korra. ;) Or first... however you wanna say it. haha Let me know what you're thinking so far. I'll try to stick to my usual update routine (two times a week) but we'll see how it works between work, my workout, class, homework, etc. mmkk? I am trying though!

-InconsciousSin.


	4. Chapter 4: The Match

**Author's Note: **Late. Late. LATE update. I'm so sorry guys! I've been working two jobs, my husband is leaving for the airforce soon, and between those two things and my son I've had little to no time for myself... or my stories. lol Anyway, here's this one! This is my plan for updates for all of the stories I have: this one(obviously), then Aftermath, and then Wilted. I've already begun the next chapters for all of them but this is the order I will be submitting them to the site. Should all be done before next weekend if things go as planned. Thank you so much for your continued support and patience! Please let me know if you're still sticking with this story so I know to continue.(:

Enjoy guys.

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The Match

Mako's POV:

"Welcome fans, to the pro-bending championship tournament! We have worked our way up in the ranks to find the best! Tonight, the Fire Ferrets will be up against the Wolfbats! Will the Fire Ferrets have a chance against the former champs? Who will hold this year's title? The tension is building as our teams make their way to the arena!" The announcer always sounded much too enthusiastic for these matches. My arms were crossed. We stepped onto the platform, preparing to be carried over to our corner of the arena. The slab of metal purred, leaping to life. I watched the countless fans surrounding us: standing, shouting, cheering. I shifted my weight from foot to foot as if testing the sturdiness of the arena grounds. My nose sucked in a deep breath before I let it out through my mouth. Something about these matches made everything else fade away. Nothing else matters when I'm pro-bending; it's a peaceful experience even between the dodging of flames and slabs of rock. Any issue or problem going on in my life could be temporarily put on hold until the end of the match and after the sweat is washed out of my hair. I was looking forward to the freedom from this unusual stress that's been plaguing me. Well, today would be just that relief if problem 'A' wasn't stretching her arms above her head, flexing her toes against the soles of her shoes right beside me and if problem 'B' wasn't gleaming with confidence while staring at me from across the way. My peaceful smirk vanished. Tahno was grinning at me as if understanding my thoughts. I scowled at him, turning my back around as I tried to regain my focus before the ref came in to start things off.

I couldn't help but glance over at Korra. She had removed her helmet to rub away an invisible itch on her cheek and was just now replacing it on her head. Beside her, my brother was watching her as well, that sheepish smile tracing his lovesick lips. Was _everyone _in love with this girl? Something inside of me began to burn. This uncontrollable behavior my body seemed to be dealing with over the past week or so was getting old. My teeth gritted against each other while I sucked in another sharp breath; yet another deep mantra of inhalations to calm myself. _Focus, Mako. This is it. This is big. We win this, and we take the title. _I had regained complete control over myself, allowing a soft grin to tug at the edges of my lips at the satisfaction. "Hey baby, you ready to lose?" My concentration was broken again. This was not going to work. My fingers danced against an invisible piano at my sides, I was growing impatient. The girl beside me clenched her fist in front of her, stepping towards him. Her reaction to his comment seemed to satisfy him because he turned to his teammates to say something about the upcoming match. Korra really needed to learn some kind of calming mechanism.

I ignored it as we all came in for our pre-game huddle. "Alright, this is it. This is what we've been training for. Are you ready?" I smiled to my brother. He gave me a wide, toothy beam, "We got this, bro!" I nodded then turned my gaze to Korra who was clearly lost in her head. "Korra!" I gently bumped her shoulder with my upper arm, bringing her safely back to our world. "Are you okay?" She stared at her freshly wrapped and gloved palms before giving me a weak nod. "I'm ready." I rolled my eyes, already knowing what was going on with the girl. "Look, whatever freak relationship you have with that guy, don't let it get in the way of the team. We need you to be focused." Korra scoffed at my advice as if I had offended her. "We don't have…" She paused. My eyebrow rose curiously when her voice faltered. Her eyes darted from my face to Bolin's before continuing as if she hadn't just stopped mid-sentence, "A problem with the match. We agreed before that whatever happens outside of the arena, stays outside." A huge, terribly forced grin covered her face. Bolin and I stared but shrugged to each before we heard the announcer beginning his second string of over-joyful premonitions for the match.

* * *

Bolin's POV:

We took our positions at the same moment that the Wolfbats decided it was time for our team stare-downs. I smiled to my teammates, even though both pairs of eyes seemed to be fixated on the lead Wolfbat with that never-fail grin directed now at my brother from across the arena. I heard the announcer end his speech. "Good," I thought aloud to myself. My legs spread, knees bent, arms angled at the three men in front of us. A growl escaped my brother's lips, drawing my attention for only a split second, but that second was a mistake. I felt something hard hit me in the gut and throw me back. That dreaded, low-pitched "ding" rang in my ears signaling that I had been thrown into the second zone leaving me further from my opponents. I scrambled to my feet, propelling one sole to the ground and with that, an earth round rose up from the arena floor. I forced my palms forward, chucking the patch of rock at the man that had hit me with a similar weapon. Unfortunately, he didn't receive the same penalty as I did and remained in the closest zone. I threw my foot down once more, repeating my initial attack a few more times until my opponent missed his chance to block and fell back into the second zone with that now satisfying "ding." I grinned.

* * *

Mako's POV:

It was time. I spun around, lashing out my foot to release a wave of flames. As soon as my heels hit the arena floor my fist thrust forward, calling upon another vicious whip of fire and sending it to the men across the arena. My opponent mirrored my attacks, making it a struggle to dodge fire while readying my next strike. This continued for what felt like hours. I saw the fire bender that was once trying to attack me fly rearward and off the platform. My eyes narrowed. That was my opponent. I glared at the grinning girl beside me, her hands on her hips. "I was handling that." She shrugged, avoiding an incoming water whip. "I was just trying to help you out." I don't know where this sudden animosity for my teammate arose from but it seemed to be consuming me, slowly. "Well next time, don't." My tone was deep, harsher than I had intended. She ignored my demand, continuing her extravagant stances. I watched for a moment before something hard hit me in the temple. A second earth ring hit me in the stomach. My body flung away from both my teammates and our remaining enemies. Then, I heard that dreaded, off-pitch sound indicating I was now at the edge of the platform; the very last section before hitting the icy waters below. Korra was still the only one without any penalty or fault. I allowed for a small, crooked smile to touch my lips. And here I thought she was going to be the reason we lost.

"Mako, watch out!" My brother shouted before jumping in front of me to block an incoming earth ring. There it was again; that haunting bell confessing that Korra was the last of our team still up in enemy territory. Bolin jumped to his feet, shifting his weight from heel to toe. "What's up with you? You seem kinda gone today." I rubbed the back of my neck. _C'mon, Mako, get a grip! We have to win this. Tahno can't win… _My eyes widened. _No. Not just Tahno, the entire team. Stop it, Mako. _I turned my gaze to scan the crowd. If I could just see her face, even for a moment, maybe it would clear my head of all these ridiculous thoughts. Asami's encouraging smile was untraceable among the large crowd of boisterous families clad in crimson team colors, or those annoying, shabby "wolfbat" masks and paper-cutout wings.

A hand gripped my forearm, shaking my entire frame vigorously.

"Hey! Mako, you good? We don't have time to day dream!" I shook my head, spreading my feet apart until I was in a low, angled stance. "I'm back. Let's win this." I ignored Korra's bobbing flash of cerise as she jumped back and forth to avoid falling back to a farther section of the ring, or getting hit by rock and water. I was doing well again. I vowed not to let another attack even graze me and I was living up to this demand until it happened. My eyes couldn't help but travel over to her. She was… just standing there? Korra's hands were in tight fists at her sides. Her body was still. Tahno was only a few steps in front of her with a cocky hand on his hip that smirk tracing his lips from behind his helmet.

"Whatdaya say we let you win? Then, I feel, you'll be in a better mood later when we go out on that date." I hadn't realized my hands were now in tight, balled up fists and my jaw was clamped firmly shut. Korra lifted both of her arms, forcing a wave of water to wash up around us. She spun one hand in circles, drawing the perfect amount of water for two individual water whips from her mountainous wave. Her eyes narrowed. She said nothing, but I could tell it was taking everything in her power not to. Why was she so angry? Didn't she say she wanted to go on another date with the guy? This girl confused me more than any woman I've ever come into contact with. Her fingers stopped spinning around each other just before her elbow straightened and the two furious whips both nailed Tahno, forcing him over the edge. Time was up, so we had to move on to the next round.

I rolled my eyes, "Korra! Why didn't you just throw one whip at each of them? We would've won!" I watched her nonchalantly tilt her head without response. My brother cheered beside me along with a new wave of enthusiasm from the multitude surrounding us.

The next round, Tahno wasn't playing around anymore and neither were his teammates. It was as if that little dip in the pool woke them up, or just put them in a really bad mood. Tahno no longer lazily dodged Korra's attacks, or teasingly threw an innocent ball of water at her. In fact, within the first minute of the second round, he had already thrown her to the last section. Bolin had been forced to the second zone before Tahno's pompous ass and his little team managed to work him to the last zone at the edge of the platform. I managed to avoid a few of their cheap attacks before Tahno, with that familiar smirk still firmly in place across his lips, caught me off guard with a water whip and forced me off the arena. Luckily, the ref called him for a penalty for throwing me off the side instead of after the last zone. Tahno waltzed over near the referee. He seemed to be arguing about the call but the ref allowed me back for the round. Bolin was still standing, but he was in the last zone.

What changed between the first round and this one? They started cheating. Their earth bender started the match off by lifting one of his small, pieces of earth and Tahno coated it in water. They did this quickly and repetitively. The fire bender would shoot an abundant ball of fire in front of the _real _attack to distract their target, one of us, before hitting us with a hard watery rock. One almost hit me but Bolin threw one of his own rock discs at the cheap shot and it dispersed. I watched as another one nailed Korra in the shoulder. She acted as if it was nothing, but I could tell that temper of hers was flared. Her gaze made its angry way to the ref, "You gonna call that?" The ref said nothing as if he didn't realize what they were doing, but Korra bit her tongue, hinting that something worse was coming than just one of her 'witty' come backs. Just after she was forced to the last section by Tahno's cheating tricks, Korra did a flip, landing on the farthest most corner of her small zone. She lifted her arm, winding it around as if she were going to gracefully pitch a baseball to Tahno. Instead of a friendly ball game, however, a large wave of water lifted from below us. I watched Korra raise both of her arms into the air, just as she stood upright. The water came up from the drainage holes below Tahno. His eyes grew round with shock just as the hastening water threw off his helmet in a painful rush. Then of course, we heard the ref's whistle. He must have actually been paying attention to _that _attack.

"Really? What was that for?!" Korra shouted. The referee lifted his arms giving her the signal for a penalty. "Unnecessary roughness." He stated. Korra growled under her breath, "I'll unnecessarily rough you up!" She turned to storm back to us just after dowsing the referee in water. He blew his whistle again signaling that she would have to sit out this round. I glared at her as she passed. "Sometimes you are so frustrating..." I muttered and in response she gave me a shrug. Once she was allowed back into the game for the third round, immediately, the opposing team began targeting her. Bolin and I had a few good shots, but everyone seemed distracted. I finally managed to keep myself '_cool under fire,'_ an ability everyone tells me is my specialty. I was able to dodge Tahno's wicked smirks, ignorant comments, and cheap attacks. Korra's attacks were fueled by her rage, leaving herself at a disadvantage. She was thinking, she was merely striking. It was working for a while, though. Bolin or I would keep her safe from incoming attacks while she shot balls of water at Tahno, or used her water on the fire benders attacks, sizzling out his flames. Bolin was doing amazing. He seemed to be having the most fun out of all of us; that innocent grin reaching from ear to ear every time one of his shots hit its designated target. The other team seemed to be holding up well too. Unfortunately, it took all three rounds for all of us to get our heads in the game. It also didn't help that round three ended with every one of us dry and panting.

"That was the longest three minutes of my life!" Bolin's hands were gripping his knees as he gasped for air. Korra touched my brother's back, also regaining her composure and breath. I tried to hide my own exhaustion from them by taking in slow, concentrated breaths. It was down to the face-off. My team seemed too tired to be the ones to do this. We walked over to where the referee stood now in the middle of the arena. The wolfbats were only inches from us. The referee explained the coin toss to us before flipping it in the air. My heart fell to my toes as the man uncovered the resulting color indicating who would get the pick for the one-on-one match.

* * *

Korra's POV:

This stupid match was more challenging than I thought it would be. Tahno was purposely trying to spark me up but if I acted against it, Mako and Bolin would realize I still hated the guy and never agreed to a date with him. Now the match was pretty much over, besides the tie-breaker. I had my arms crossed, leaning my weight to one foot. Mako would take care of this and then we'd win. He was always saying how "_he's the one that does the tie-breakers", "he's the team leader", "He's going to save us from a loss."_ So, just stand back and let him, Korra. I sighed, deciding my subconscious was right. I watched the coin twirl in the air before landing on the back of the referee's palm. He quickly covered it with his opposing hand. Just as he moved his hand to reveal the team to choose their element, Mako took in a sharp breath.

The coin was blue, which meant that the Wolfbats would have the first pick. Tahno placed a thoughtful finger against his chin as if concentrating on the team's choice. Then, his eyes landed on me.

"We pick water." He winked and I shuttered. "This will be fun." The referee nodded. He directed his arm to the outside of our circle, instructing everyone else to exit as the floor rose beneath Tahno and myself. "You ready for that victory toast, babe?" I rolled my eyes, grunting, "I'm ready to knock your butt off this platform." He chuckled. The lazy look in his eyes made my anger spark; he wasn't even looking at this as a challenge. I'd just have to prove him wrong.

Once we heard the announcer finish his speech, that buzzer went off and we took our stance. He was toying with me. Tossing weak attacks; it was taunting and infuriating. I stomped my heel to the ground before warping my arms in an elegant display of fluid motions. I could feel the mass liquid form far below us shifting with every flick of my wrist, every twist of my arm. I played like this for a while, glaring at the man before me with that smirking snarl. He tossed another ball of water at me, this one was a bit more aggressive but still easy enough to dodge. "C'mon, sweetheart. Show me what you got." My heart pounded harder as a thick, bubbling layer of annoyance cradled around it. I ducked down to avoid his incoming toy water ball just as my palms rushed forward luring a whip of water at lightning speed into Tahno's torso sending him off the platform. It was almost too easy. I heard cheers erupting from our fans. It was shocking that I could make out the sounds of Bolin's overly eccentric shouts of joy over the outnumbering strangers surrounding us. My breathing was haggard. I couldn't believe I just won that. I didn't feel too overjoyed. I knew he was holding back. I had seen the opponents he had faced before us; sending them away on stretchers within the first minute after the buzzer sounded. There was no way he was ever planning on winning this with that cocky, teasing attitude and once formidable attacks now barely a threat.

I removed my helmet and wiped my brow with the back of my palm. A purring sound emitted from the platform below me as it lowered back into the ground floor of the arena. Tahno stood up, still holding that snide smirk as he wiped the invisible dirt from his shoulder. "Not bad, babe." I heard him mutter but chose not to rebuttle as my teammate tackled me. "Woo! Way to go, Korra! That was incredible!" I was now deaf. Bolin was shouting directly into my ear canal. I giggled. It was a struggle to hold both of our body weights up. "Thanks," I gave Bolin a grin. He ran off to cheer in the faces of the wingbats like a "mature" player, giving me time to look for the other brother.

My eyes surveyed the area curiously wondering where my other teammate had disappeared to. The least he could do was thank me for saving us. My heart sank. I don't know why it was always so heart breaking. They were dating. At the far end of the arena platform, she had already made her way out here and into his arms. Their lips were firm against each other in a disgusting display of some weird affection. I tried to hide my disappointment. I fought to keep this frown at bay but it refused and tugged down the corners of these lips that only moments ago were winners waiting for a thank you. Did I honestly think that just because I was the reason that the fire ferrets finally beat their long-time rivals that Mako would suddenly fall head-over-heels for me? Let alone rush over and plant one of those "affectionate" kisses on my lips instead of hers? A long, steady sigh released itself from between my frowning lips.

"You don't seem too excited about this win, sweetheart." The hair on the back of my neck rose. "Well, it wasn't much of a win. You weren't even trying." A soft chuckle ruffled the back of my hair; he was closer than I thought. I felt his fingers trace a loose strand of hair hanging down beside my cheek. He tucked it behind my ear, "Hey, a win's a win." My heart leapt in my chest. His gentle breath was now against my ear as he whispered, "You're welcome, _Oh-vatar._ Maybe now he'll notice you." I gasped. What? Who was he talking about? My eyes rounded. I spun around, almost bumping foreheads with this mysterious man. Luckily, he pulled back just in time. He was holding his helmet carelessly in one hand while his free hand rested on his hip. He was smiling, as usual, but this smile was different. More sincere in a way. He winked before turning around in that fluid way of his to return to his team. I couldn't help it. I stared after him, jaw agape. Did he know? I shook my head to free myself of these cruel thoughts. _He somehow knows about the kiss… So obviously he's going to assume something. _I let out a sigh. _That's it. _I turned back around, unfortunately. Had they been kissing this entire time, right here in front of everyone? Or did I just have terrible timing? Their lips were locked, their arms intertwined around one another. They looked so happy together; I hated it. My gaze fell to my toes as I sauntered out of the arena and back to the lockers, alone.

* * *

A thump, echoing. Another thud, echoing. This stupid metal, and this stupid helmet. I had been standing here fighting with this thing for over a minute now. It fits in here every day! Why today, why now did it decide to bloat up and not fit back in the locker? I growled, "Really?!" The word left my frustrated lips. That high-pitched laugh flooded the hall risking my infuriation to an even higher level. Asami and Mako were now standing in the room, chatting quietly and giggling about some inside joke, not even noticing me; I continued to fight my locker. _Boom, boom, clank! _"Finally!" Exasperated, I slammed the locker shut after fitting the rest of my gear in with a surprising ease. I turned to leave when Mr. and Mrs. Rude decided to finally acknowledge me. "Hey, way to go out there! That was great." She seemed sincere. I flashed her one of my most genuine smiles, "Thanks." I glared at the boy beside her for a split second before he spoke, "I was worried, but I'm really proud of you. Thanks for winning that one for us." I didn't look at him, merely shrugged. "Yeah, he was holding back so…" I trailed off. "We couldn't have won it without you." His voice was a strange hum. I replayed that sentence in my head, my blood pulsed faster in my veins. "That means a lot, Mako." I still refused to look at either of them as it would cause those images of them lip locking to run repetitively on the reel in my head.

"Well, we're going out tonight to celebrate. You won this, so you are required to be there." Asami's voice held a slight humor. It was so hard not to like her. She was so sweet, and really seemed to want to be friends. It's just too bad she doesn't know I kissed her boyfriend. I nodded, forcing yet another terribly fake grin.

* * *

I was going to kill myself. I've already decided how to do it: Mako's scarf, the center wooden beam on the ceiling, the chair I was currently sitting on, and my neck; perfect, flawless, simple. Asami let out another innocent, sweet giggle and my hand began reaching for Mako's neck. He raised an eyebrow at me, "What are you doing?" I was stricken with surprise that he even noticed me considering his eyes haven't left his dolled-up girlfriend all night. A gasp escaped my lips. I hadn't noticed my fingers were actually wrapping around the edge of his crimson scarf. Realization hit me that my mind was really willing to end it all, right here, all because of my rival's constant joy. I yanked my hand back to my chest with a nervous chuckle, "Um, sorry. Just… cold… with, here?" _Smooth. _

He snorted, leaning back from me in his chair. That didn't even make sense. I don't know what I was saying. My mental palm slapped my mental head while my conscious eyes did a mindful roll. This night was going just as I thought it would. We had won the tournament, yay, and now as punishment for winning, I had to sit here and witness Mako and his girlfriend doing couple things. I tried concentrating only on my noodles but ignoring them was nearly impossible. "So Korra. Do you have a boyfriend?" My head snapped up. I eyed Mako for a moment, my jaw fought between open and close. Then, I remembered, "U-um, well... not really a _boyfriend... _but I'm kind of interested in someone." I heard Mako let out the breath he must have been holding and immediately grew angry. What? Did he think I would just rat him out like that? Psh! My frown returned as I moved my chopsticks around in circles, forming fun little shapes with my noodles. "Who is it?" I shook my head and muttered, "You don't know him." Mako apparently no longer wanted to stick on this subject as he changed the discussion immediately to something else; I wasn't paying much attention after that. Asami let out another soft, imperfect chime of laughter leading me to imagine new ways to end it. Death by noodle juice, I could light myself on fire, or even try running into a wall really hard or something? Once my noodles were gone, I finished slurping up the remaining juice before deciding death was too extreme and chose to just leave early. I told them I was tired and they didn't argue, luckily. I waved to Bolin and Asami but had to pause at the saddened look on Mako's face. Was he sad I was leaving? I smiled before walking out of the noodle shop and continuing down the sidewalk.

The street seemed dim and dreary. I shuffled along passing a few pleasant shops and restaurants stocked with people, which seemed shocking for what time it was. My feet suddenly stopped moving beneath me outside of a restaurant I had never been in before; I couldn't even pronounce the name. I knew I didn't particularly want to go home. I would just toss and turn in my bed while my mind raced and fought against the urge to rest. I decided against going home to be harassed by the endless string of questions from the airbabies and went into the place with a strange name. I could hear a radio buzzing like background noise beneath all of the gossiping girls laughter and drunken wise tales being told a bit louder than necessary. I chose a seat in the far back corner near the radio so that I had something to pass the time. I have always loved listening to the radio but haven't really had a need for it lately considering my favorite show was the pro-bending and I was now apart of it firsthand. It was a deep voiced man giving the forecast of events that have been occuring all week. Slight mention of the fire ferrets' win, then he moved on to the rumors about some "revelation" among the extremists in town; nothing to be too concerned about, they say, there are always naysayers among a happy bustling people. _I could take them._ I thought, clenching a fist. I nearly jumped out of the booth I was sitting on at the sound of my waitresses' ecstatic, buoyant voice. "Hey there! My name is Kylin and I'll be taking care of you this evening. Can I start you off with a drink, maybe some sake?" I shook my head, wafting my hand around lazily, "Um, no thank you. Just a water please."

"That's all? That's not much of a winner's beverage. Bring us two of the best drink you have." My head shot up from its slumped over stupor at the sound of that familiar sound. The radio shut off in my mind, the static and reporter's voice was empty. The chatter around us became a silent bur of noise and Kylin's flirtatious laughter was but a mere hum. My ears must be swollen. A body slid in the booth beside me and draped an arm across my shoulders. The moment his body touched mine everything around us came back to life. Instinctively I pulled away from his grasp. "Tahno, what are you doing here?" He smiled at me, scooting a bit away, as if suddenly caring that I was uncomfortable. His leg lifted, crossing over the other in one fluid movement. "I told you, you owe me a date."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Really didn't plan on this being any kind of a cliffy, but the next chapter will be pretty quick too. already know what's going to happen and have it all ready to leave my fingertips, just tired but wanted to get this update out tonight! Thanks for reading guys(: Just one review will do, just let me know how this was and which couple you want to see.

I'm tired so if I have any errors they will be fixed within the next day or so.

-InconsciousSin.


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